71--Grant Conference Center Training Tables and Furniture

Introduction: Pursuant to FAR Subpart 13.106-1(b)(1), the U.S. Army RDECOM Contracting Center, Natick Contracting Division, on behalf of the US Army Natick Soldiers Center (NSC), intends to award a firm fixed price purchase order on a sole source basis to: North East Fire & Safety Inc., Bellingham, MA 02019. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS. NO SOLICITATION DOCUMENT IS AVAILABLE. INQUIRIES WILL BE USED FOR FUTURE ACQUISITIONS ONLY. 1. Nature and description of the supplies or services required to meet the agency's needs: Grant Conference Room furniture that can also be utilized in many different ways including training, exhibiting, high level meetings and seminars. Finishes, durability and design are critical due to the many different ways this central conference room is utilized as the Center's premiere conference room. Conference furniture must be finished in vintage mahogany on cherry with EF edging and the ability to be easily wired for microphones, having locking casters, and foldable for easy storage. Conference chairs need to be mesh with leather for ease of cleaning due to heavy use they will encounter. Tables and chairs must be easily reconfigurable and mobile to be able to adjust to various conference layouts. The desired furniture that is requested on the procurement is the only furniture manufacturer that can meet our needs. 2. A demonstration that the proposed contractor is the only source available to provide these services or goods (i.e. unique qualifications, proprietary rights, etc.): Furniture and accessories need to be custom designed to achieve flexibility and ease of use in Grant Conference Center. The Furniture Group is able to deliver all required elements and successfully integrate each design element to achieve desired effect. After much research The Furniture Group is the only vendor able to produce what is needed and coordinate with many different furniture fabricators to deliver in a cost effective manner. The Furniture Group will be able to provide the final product that will easily integrate with existing room equipment and design. Furniture Dealer must be located within 50 miles of NSRDEC for problems and questions. All pricing is GSA. After extensive market research the furniture manufactures which the The Furniture Group employs have proven to be the only fabricators able to meet our requirements. 3. A description of the market research that was conducted and the results, or a statement of the reason a market research was not conducted: After months of design and research, a market search was conducted on furniture and accessories incorporating exact specifications that are needed to match room design, workspace flexibility and the room's unique dual use as a display and exhibit area. Factors including color, materials used in construction, and flexibility were considered before contacting a variety of furniture vendors. Visits to over a dozen showrooms and warehouse furniture dealers helped narrow down our choices to The Furniture Group which was the only vendor able to meet our needs for unique and flexible conference layouts. The Furniture Group will be able to meet and enhance current room requirements while being compatible with existing furniture and already installed exhibit and displays. 4. Any other facts supporting the use of other than full and open competition: Grant Conference Room is a highly visible room with VIP visitors such as Congressmen, General Officers, and other Government Officials that is used on a daily basis so furniture needs to be of highest quality and display certain standards that portray a world class R&D facility. Due to the unusual requirements in flexibility and design of Grant Conference Center the specified furniture will be the only available furniture to fulfill the required needs. The Furniture Group is proven to be flexible and available as well as a critical partner in the design of a state-of-the art conference center. 5. A statement of the actions, if any, the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers to competition before any subsequent acquisition for the supplies or services required: None that we know of at the present time. 6. Interested parties may identify their interest and capability to respond to this requirement to the U.S. Army RDECOM Contracting Center, Natick Contracting Division via e-mail to: contact@example.gov no later than 11:00 AM (EST) August 22, 2011. Contracting Office Address: RDECOM Contracting Center - Natick CCRD-NA-SU, Natick Contracting Division Kansas Street, Building 1 Natick, MA 01760-5011 Point of Contact: R. Lanny Weeks, Contract Specialist +1 (555) 000-0000 contact@example.gov